Shot cylinder lubricating apparatus



Dec. l, 1970 R. J. or'r SHOT CYLINDER LUBRICATING APPARVJYI'US FiledAug. 3l, 1987 United States Patent O 3,544,355 SHOT CYLINDER LUBRICATINGAPPARATUS Richard J. Ott, New Buffalo, Mich., assignor to Respond Inc.,Baroda, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 31, 1967, Ser. No.664,847 Int. Cl. B22d 7/04 U.S. Cl. 117-96 4 Claims ABSTRACT F THEDISCLOSURE There is disclosed a method and apparatus for lubricating ashot cylinder in a die casting machine. Spray head means is adapted tobe moved into position for spraying the lubricant directly into theinterior of the shot cylinder.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for lubricatinga shot cylinder in a die casting machine.

Many die casting machines presently in use introduce the metal beingcast into the dies through a cylinder or sleeve. A piston is actuatedwithin the cylinder or sleeve for forcing the metal into the die. Inorder lto assure proper operation and minimize wear, it is necessary tolubricate the piston and cylinder between each shot.

Heretofore, lubrication of a shot cylinder or sleeve has usually beenaccomplished by manually brushing a viscous, heavy lubricant onto anexposed portion of the piston when the piston is withdrawn to aretracted position. Some automatic lubricating apparatus have beenprovided, but, in general, such apparatus have heretofore been similarto the manual method in that lubricant is applied to an exposed portionof the piston. Such methods and apparatus have generally not assureduniform and proper lubrication entirely around the circumference of thepiston. Furthermore, when lubricant is applied to an exposed part,surrounding parts of the machine become coated with the lubricant anddirt and grime accumulate. Furthermore, prior methods of lubricating theshot cylinder have been relatively slow and have been one factor inlimiting the production rate of a die casting machine.

It is an important `object of the present invention to provide a novelmethod and apparatus for lubricating a shot cylinder or sleeve byapplying the lubricant to the interior surfaces of the cylinder.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel methodand apparatus for lubricating a shot cylinder or sleeve substantiallyuniformly around the interior surfaces of the cylinder by spraying thelubricant material directly into the cylinder.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novelmethod and apparatus for lubricating a shot cylinder automatically andquickly and in a manner so as to prevent the buildup or collection oflubricant material on the exterior surfaces of surrounding parts of thedie casting machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel methodand apparatus for lubricating a shot cylinder or sleeve which is adaptedto be incorporated into a method and apparatus for applying a lubricantor release agent to the dies in a die casting machine.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an apparatus incorporating features of thepresent invention associated with a die casting machine;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing a portion ofthe apparatus; and

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing themanner in which lubricant is applied to the interior of a shot cylinderor sleeve in greater detail.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts aredesignated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, alubricating apparatus 10 incorporating features of the present inventionis shown in FIG. 1 in association with a die casting machine 12. The diecasting machine may be of various known constructions and need not bedescribed in detail. In the embodiment shown, the machine comprises afixed platen 14 and a movable platen 16 on which complementary dies 18and 20 are respectively mounted. A toggle mechanism 22 actuated by ahydraulic cylinder and piston assembly 24 is provided for moving theplaten 16 from the retracted or open position shown in FIG. 1 toward theright so as to bring the dies 18 and 20 into cooperative engagement.

In order to introduce molten metal being cast into the dies, the machine12 has a shot cylinder or sleeve 26 fixed to and extending through theplaten 14 and communicating with the die 18. Molten metal is deliveredinto the cylinder 26 in a known manner, and a piston 28 is operablewithin the cylinder and is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 30 forejec-ting the molten metal from the cylinder 26 and into the dies duringa casting operation.

As indicated hereinabove, it is usually necessary to lubricate thecylinder 26 between each casting operation and, in the past, this hasusually been accomplished by applying the lubricant to the exposedportion ofthe piston 28 when the piston is in the retracted positionshown in FIGS. 1 and 3. ln accordance with the present invention, thelubrication is accomplished by deliverying a spray 32 of the desiredlubricating material through the open end of the cylinder 26 so as tocoat the interior surface 34 of the cylinder 26 substantially uniformlyaround its circumference and substantially throughout the length of thestroke of the piston 28. The manner in which the spray 32 is directedinto the cylinder from a spray head 36 is shown in the drawings. Whileonly a single spray head 36 is shown, it is to be understood that two ormore spray heads may be provided and positioned so as to constitute thespraying means capable of coating the interior surface ofthe cylinder 26in the desired manner.

The details of construction of the spray head 36 form no part of thepresent invention. It suffices to state herein that the spray headcomprises a main body means 38 having a rst inlet port 40 connectable bya liexible hose or suitable conduit 42 with a source of lubricant in themanner described below. A second inlet port 44 is connectable by a tting46 with a source of air under pressure which serves to eject thelubricant from a discharge orifice 48 to provide the aforementionedspray 32. For a complete disclosure of the construction of the sprayhead 36 reference is made to copending application Ser. No. 621,241 ledMar. 7, 1967, now Patent 3,394,888.

The lubricating apparatus 10 comprises means for positioning the sprayhead 36 in alignment with the open end of the cylinder 26 when the diesare opened as shown in FIG. 1 and for subsequently moving the spray headto a retracted position. While special means may be constructed forshiftably supporting the spray head 36, it is contemplated that the shotcylinder lubricating apparatus may be conveniently and economicallyincorporated in an apparatus for applying a lubricant or release agentto the dies 18 and 20. Thus, the apparatus 10 shown herein isconstructed for lubricating not only the shot cylinder but also thedies. Many details of the die lubricating apparatus construction form nopart of the present invention and will be only briey described herein.For

a more complete description of the die lubricating apparatus, referenceis made to my copending application Ser. No. 545,036, tiled Apr. 25,1966, now Patent. 3,338,- 213 and my application Ser. No. 648,615 ledlune 26, 1967, now Patent 3,463,399.

The lubricating apparatus comprises'frame' means 48 suitably supportedadjacent the die casting machine 12. A movable head 50 which comprises aliquid lubricant manifold is disposed at one end of the frame and issupported and actuated by means including a piston rod 52 extending intoa double acting cylinder 54 mounted in the frame means 48 and connectedto a piston 56 slidable within the cylinder. An air manifold structure58 is secured to and movable with the head or manifold block 50. The airmanifold structure comprises hollow interconnected elements 60, 62, 64and 66. Spray heads 68 are mounted on the air manifold structure so thatsome are positioned for spraying the die 18 and others are positionedfor spraying the die 20. These spray heads may be identical to the shotcylinder lubricating spray head 36.

Air under pressure is delivered through a conduit 70 extending throughthe block 50 and connected with the air manifold structure 58. Thelubricant or coating material for the dies is delivered to the manifoldblock through a conduit 72 connected with a pressurized tank 74 throughconduit means 76. As disclosed fully in my aforementioned copendingapplications, Valve and electrical circuit means are provided forcontrolling the ow of air through the conduit 70 and the llow oflubricant through the conduit 72. While the description of the valve andcontrol means need not be repeated herein, it is noted that a switch 7,5is provided adjacent the forward end of the frame structure 48, whichswitch is adapted to be actuated when the movable head has been shiftedfrom a retracted position to thel advanced position shown in FIG. 1 soas to open the valve controlling the air and lubricant ow to initiatethe spraying operation.

The lubricantl required for the shot cylinder 26 is a 'differentmaterial from that used as a release agent on the dies 18 and 20. Thus,a separate lubricant supply system is provided for the ,cylinderlubricating spray head 36. This system comprises a supply conduit 78connected with the movable head 50 and, communicating with a passageway80 therein. The conduit 78 is connected by means including a flexibleconduit .82 and a valve 84 with a pressurized supply tank 86. Themanifold passageway 80 is connected to the spray head 36 by theaforementioned flexible conduit or tube 42.

A switch 88 ismounted on the frame structure 48 and isadapted to beactuated by a cam 90 fixed on the conduit 78. The switch 88 is connectedby an electrical cable 92 with the solenoid of the lubricant controlvalve 84. The arrangement is such that when the switch 88 is actuated bythe cam 90, the solenoid valve 84 is energized and opened to permit theflow of lubricant to the spray head 36. The electrical cable 92 may alsobe connected with a solenoid actuated valve controlling the ow ofcompressed air to the conduit 70 so that the valve will be opened toadmit air to the spray head simultaneously with the lubricant.Alternatively, the switch 88 could be located so as to be actuatedafterthe switch 75 is operated to open the air valve. In any event, thearrangement is such that `the control means functions to admit air tothe manifold structure 58 and thus to all of the spray heads, eithersimultaneously with or prior to the opening of the valves permitting owof lubricant to-the spray heads. Furthermore, the cam is positioned foractuating the switch 88 and thus opening the shot cylinder lubricantvalve substantially only while the spray head 36 is in alignment withthe open end of the shot cylinder 26, so that the lubricant spray 32 isdirected entirely within the cylinder.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. An apparatus for lubricating a shot cylinder in a die castingmachine, comprising an air actuated spray head, means movably supportingsaid spray head for movement from a retracted position to an advancedposition substantially in alignment with an open end of a shot cylinderin the die casting machinemeans for supplying lubricant to the sprayhead when said head is substantially in alignment with the cylinder,means for supplying air under pressure to the spray head when the headis substantially aligned with the cylinder for spraying lubricantdirectly into said cylinder, means for applying a coating material todies in said die casting machine, said last named means includingadditional spray heads mounted on said means movably supporting said rstmentioned spray head, said additional spray heads being connected withsaid means for supplying air under pressure, and means separate fromsaid lubricant supply means for supplying coating material to saidadditional spray head.

2. A method of lubricating a shot cylinder in a die casting machinewhile simultaneously therewith coating dies within the die castingmachine, the method comprising the steps of exposing the dies and anopen end of the shot cylinder within the die casting machine,mechanically moving a lubricant spray means and a coating spray meansfrom retracted positions outside the die casting machine to advancedpositions within the die casting machine substantially in alignment withthe open end of the cylinder and said dies respectively, automaticallyspraying lubricant directly into the Cylinder when said lubricant spraymeans reaches its advanced position and thereby coating an interiorsurface of the cylinder, and simultaneously therewith automaticallyspraying a coating material on said dies and thereby coating exposedsurfaces of the dies.

3. The method, as defined in claim 2, comprising substantially uniformlyspraying the lubricant entirely around the interior surface of thecylinder.

4. The method, as defined in claim 2, comprising spraying a lubricantsubstantially uniformly throughout a length of said cylindercorresponding to the stroke of a shot piston operable within saidcylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,612,372 12/1926 Gussman 184-18XR 2,344,905 3/ 1944 Short 118-317 XR 3,011,213 12/1961 Brandon et al.118-317 X 3,110,931 11/1963 Kadel 184-18 X 3,254,377 6/1966 Morton184-18 X RALPH S. KENDALL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

